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Lobsters in a late celebration of Chinese New Year

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So it had been too long since we’d been out bug hunting on the Moby Kate. A long trip to Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas Islands (don’t ask) and a new boat trailer finally behind me, we went out to see where the bugs were hiding and invite some home for dinner. It was a crisp 44F as we rolled down toward the Marina but with sun coming through, we knew it would be warming up during the day. We could see the snow up in Big Bear area clearly as we cleared the MDR breakwater.We stopped for a moment and gave our thanks to the LE and silently sent our best wishes to all those families who have been so terribly affected by the events of the past week.

Then it was head up the coast to get wet. By now, the lobsters are full on in the mating mode so they are bunched up and active, even in the daytime. Sort of the “rut” for bugs. A quick jump at the spots that were hot in December showed no one home as predicted so we ran up to the larger rock piles where they generally can be found this time of year. We were not disappointed. Vis was 10-12 feet – plenty to see where you are going and the water temp was “ok” at 54F at 60 fsw. Not warm like in Nuka Hiva (it was 84F there) but pretty good for this time of year in SM Bay. There was a reasonable number of bugs in the rocks and they’d come out to check you out – you want to mate… Yeah, their eyesight as to discrimination sucks but they are very good at seeing movement. We also found a number of them walking in the rocks or just messing with other lobsters… In the end, we managed to scratch up some real nice bugs and I shot the obligate calico bass for “The Admiral”. We then broke out a bottle of champagne (after we were through diving) and celebrated the Chinese New Year – the year of the snake.
We were home and washing down the boat by 2:15 pm.

And yes, in my Avatar, those are Sponge Bob boxers on my head . That was my headgear in Nuku-Hiva. I was voted best dressed of the group. The story of this trip and how I acquired my new nick name "The Fafaru" will be told in confidence under the the highest level of security when I’m debriefed up at VAFB.

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Another good story Andy, nice catch. The intelegence agencies are hot on the "Fafaru" lead and it is expected that details regarding the disapearence of Spongebob's boxers will be made public at some point.

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I am very ecumenical, I celebrate all holidays. I even do Martian Canal Digger's Day and I'm not Martian although I have been accused of being "from space".

Plain Ol' Steve did notice those scallops in the anemonaes. They are rather small and on an area than we have chosen to leave even the big ones because the structure is so pretty. Plenty of scallops along the coast here in SM Bay - definitely one of the Admiral's favored food's, even more so than lobster but not as challenging to catch.